A Florida resident has pleaded guilty to a health care fraud scheme involving New Hampshire Medicaid, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
Court documents show that Erik X. Alonso, 55, of Miami, previously convicted in 2015 for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and related offenses in Florida, was on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Exclusion List. This list bars individuals from receiving payments from federal health care programs such as Medicaid.
Despite this restriction, authorities said that in March 2022 Alonso began working with a telehealth mental health provider based in New Hampshire. He provided services billed to New Hampshire Medicaid patients while aware of his exclusion status. Alonso also caused claims to be submitted for counseling services that were not delivered as represented. In some cases, he requested patient assistance with personal matters including preparing a presidential pardon application related to his prior conviction and medical licensure documents.
Alonso admitted responsibility for causing New Hampshire Medicaid to pay about $173,998.83 based on false claims.
He pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on January 28, 2026. The charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison; sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire, Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of HHS-OIG, and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI Boston Field Office.
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI.
Prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell, John W. Howard, Danielle H. Sakowski from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo from the District of New Hampshire.
The Justice Department’s Fraud Section oversees efforts against health care fraud through its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program which operates nine strike forces across 27 federal districts nationwide; since its inception in March 2007 it has charged over 5,800 defendants accused collectively of billing more than $30 billion to federal programs and private insurers (https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are also collaborating with HHS-OIG to hold providers accountable for participation in such schemes.
